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I'm an Independent Book Reviewer and would be happy to review your book(s).

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DISCLAIMER

Read my book reviews at your own risk. I have been told that because I am respected by those who read my reviews that I am dangerous to their spiritual well being. Please read my reviews knowing that I am not recommending anything more than what is in my review. If you decide to become a fan of the author, his or her lifestyle, worldview and other things they may write, then please know that is your responsibility and not mine. I love to read and read widely. I have an opinion about what I read and share it on these pages. I do not expect you to appreciate what I write or hold me responsible for anything beyond my words. Let's read and think together with joy. Clif

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ABOUT MY BLOG

My blog is a lot of rambling on about what is on my mind. I may write about God or goulash, the Bible or baloney. I try to write more about God and the Bible than I do about goulash and baloney ― it depends on my mood. Hopefully you catch me on a God and Bible day.

MY STRONG OPINIONS

• Jesus is the only way.

• Be truthful.

• “Those who dare to teach must never cease to learn.”

• Accept truth wherever you find it.

• Read! Reading is a basic tool in the leading of a good life.

MY FAVORITE WOMAN

I first met Charlotte in 1948 when she was 11 and I was 13 years old. We married ten years later.

CHARLOTTE'S BLOGS

We celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in 2008. Our children helped us celebrate with an all expense paid all arranged vacation In Hawaii.

I LOVE ARIZONA

There was a time when I thought Arizona was just a hot desert filled with cacti, snakes and other varmints. Not anymore. Now Arizona “spells” home, beautiful skies, wonderful weather nine months of the year, warmth for old, tired bones, and as Greta Van Susteren would say, “Much, much more.” Opulent Oklahoma was my first home and I loved it. I went to college in Texas and I liked that state too. “Cool” California was my next home and I loved it a lot—and still do. But now, it’s ARIZONA all the way! Come visit our wonderful state every chance you get—but don’t settle down here or stay too long. Phoenix is now the fifth largest city in the U.S. and we are getting crowded. We need to preserve our beautiful desert!!

MY BOOK REVIEWS

Thursday, November 20, 2014

VANISHING GRACEWhat Ever Happened To The Good NewsBy Phillip YanceyOVERVIEW: In his landmark book What's So Amazing about Grace?, Phillip Yancey issued a call for Christians to be as grace-filled in their behavior as they are in declaring their beliefs. He now returns to this vital subject, asking why Christians continue to lose respect, influence, and reputation in our modern culture. Yet people everywhere still thirst for grace. How can Christians present truly Good News amid the changing landscapes of our time? Why do so many people dislike Christians? How can we communicate faith in an appealing way to future generations? Using his trademark journalistic style―story-filled, compelling, accessible―Yancy explores how grace can bridge the gap between Christian faith and a world increasingly suspicious of it.

AUTHOR: Philip Yancey serves as editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine. He has written thirteen Gold Medallion Award-winning books and won ECPA Book of the Year awards for What'sSo Amazing About Grace? and The Jesus I Never Knew. Four of his books have sold over one million copies. Yancey lives with his wife in Colorado.

MY REVIEW: I agree with Max Lucado who said, "Every Philip Yancey book is worth reading. He is a gift to our generation." This book is one of his best. I also agree with Shane Claiborne who wrote, "There's not much I'd rather read about than grace. And there's no one I' rather have tell me about it than Philip Yancey."

In this book Yancey does a splendid job of telling why the church stirs up negative feelings and then he counters the bad news. He spends much of his time relating stories about how too many Christians make bad news out of the good news. And then he tells stories and gives many examples of how Christians can and are making a positive, grace-filled difference in a world of desperate need.

This is an important book that every Christian needs to read. Yancey does a good job of helping us to see what the world would look like if Christians fulfilled the command to "See to it that no one misses the grace of God."

(I received this book from the Booklook program in exchange for a fair and honest review.)

Thursday, November 06, 2014

How Much Prayer Should A Hamburger Get? is the title of an excellent little book of articles on prayer compiled by William J. Krutza and the title of an article in the book written by Eliot J. Carey.

I received the book years ago from friends who wrote these words inside the cover: "Clif, I know you like to read. We enjoyed this so thought we'd get you a copy, hope you enjoy it too. In Christian love, The Overturfs, P.S. Thanks for your terrific lessons!"

I'm going to quote several passages from Carey's article that express how I also feel about saying grace every time we open our mouths for food.

"Saying grace every time we open our mouths for food is a ritual that needs clarification. I know some people who consider it virtually a denial of the faith if they fail to bow their heads and mumble a few words before eating, whether in private, in public, or in the home of a friend."

"Ritualism in saying grace confronts us with all kinds of problems. Obviously we do not pray over all forms of sustenance, else we have sinned at the water cooler and the kitchen tap for years. Nothing is more essential to the body than water---unless it be air, and you can see the problem that raises---but I know of no one, however devout he may be, who prays at the drinking fountain in the park. We also have confession to make over a sizable backlog of Lifesavers, breath mints, salted peanuts, and licorice allsorts, all of which contain frightening amounts of nourishment."

"So we are faced with the problem of classification. Does food rate grace because of its quantity? Or its price? Or the time of day when it is eaten? If one eats a doughnut with coffee at 10:00 A.M. without grace, is one obliged to pray over a sandwich and coffee at noon? If the sandwich is classified as lunch, it requires prayer, because surely one must give thanks for one's meal."

I find the Bible is strangely silent on the topic of saying grace. There is no instruction that I know of for saying grace. I consider the Lord's Supper and Christ's prayer before feeding the multitudes highly special occasions. I do believe the Bible teaches us to always be in the spirit of prayer and I am. I am gratefull for many things and tell God so. Food is one of those things and I thank God for it often---but not just when I am eating. I believe that praying before meals is a good thing but should not be done as a ritual.

I have a copy of Norman Rockwell's painting, in which the old lady and the young child bow their heads and fold their hands in the diner. totally and completely unaware of the glances of onlookers, they say their grace in unaffected sincerity. This is a picture of two people saying in their hearts, "Thank you, God, for everything." With that kind of public grace there can be no fault. But if I feel compelled to do it because others expect it and are looking, then I might need to consider my motive.